


i'm alright

by xrebelwithacausex



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: F/M, arthur is so in love, fluff fluff fluff and more fluff, like he is WHIPPED and he knows it, local himbo is in love, overprotective Arthur
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-09
Updated: 2020-12-09
Packaged: 2021-03-10 03:49:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 635
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27977634
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xrebelwithacausex/pseuds/xrebelwithacausex
Relationships: Gwen/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Merlin & Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Comments: 10
Kudos: 19





	i'm alright

Arthur sat in his chambers, eating the fruit Merlin had just set out for him. He nibbled on an apple, instinctively leaving the nicer ones for Gwen before he remembered that she was out for the day. Instantly, the lack of her presence settled around him like winter’s frost, a frigid ache that not even Merlin’s sunshine ways could thaw. 

As though he could read his thoughts, Merlin spoke. “Stop worrying about Gwen,” he advised. Arthur rolled his eyes.

“I’m not worrying about her,” he lied. Merlin glanced at him, evidently not believing a word he had said. 

“Then why are you running your fingers over her name?” he pointed out. Arthur glanced down at where he had etched Gwen’s name onto the table, confirming that he was indeed running his nails through the worn-out grooves. 

“Okay, I’m a little worried about her,” he admitted. “I hate it when she goes out alone,”

“She’ll be fine,” Merlin reassured him. “She can take care of herself,”

“I know she  _ can _ , believe me,” he said. “But she shouldn’t have to,”

Merlin smiled slightly as he glanced at Arthur. “You just miss her,” he said.

Arthur glared at Merlin, who was now smirking as he turned away. “Yes, I do miss my  _ wife _ . Is there a problem with that?” 

It felt so good calling her his wife. He had never cared much for romance until he met Gwen, but when he fell for her, he fell hard.

“Not at all, my liege,”

Arthur threw a grape at Merlin’s retreating figure. “I’ll have you sacked for that,”

“Please do. Then I can watch from my chambers while another poor servant tries to replace me. It’ll be quite entertaining,”

Before Arthur could deliver another biting retort, the sound of hooves clattering on the pavement reached their ears through the open window. The two looked at each other in confusion. Merlin looked out the window.

“It’s Gwen,” he said. “She’s not due back till sundown,”

An icy weight settled itself in Arthurs’ stomach as he blindly made his way to the courtyard, barely aware of Merlin following him.

“Gwen!” he called out as soon as he was in hearing range.

“Arthur!” she cried, running towards him. The two of them embraced, warmth warring with the concern in his heart. She was shaking, just slightly, but enough to feed into his worries. 

“What happened?” asked. “Are you okay?”

In response, she pulled away from him and let him look at her. Arthur’s heart tore in two at the sight of her wounds. There was blood trickling from her cheek. He lifted his thumb to gently brush it away.

“Who did this to you?” he asked, a quiet fury building up inside of him.

She shrugged. “A couple of rogues,”

“Where are they now?”

“Somewhere in the forest licking their wounds, I suppose,” she said. “Don’t worry. I dealt worse than I took,” she smiled.

“I can’t believe I was foolish enough to let you go out on your own,”

“Really, Arthur, I’m quite capable of handling myself,” she said with a raised eyebrow.

“I know you  _ can  _ take care of yourself, but you shouldn’t  _ have  _ to. Besides, you’re the queen, Guinevere,” he said, grasping her shoulders as he placed a tender kiss on her forehead. “You’re too valuable to not have extra protection. I should have sent one of the knights with you,”

Gwen smiled, and Arthur thought he would collapse on the spot. “Don’t worry about it now,” she said. “I’m alright,”

_ And thank the universe for that _ , he thought. “I love you,” he said.

“I love you too,” she responded, kissing his cheek as she buried herself into his arms.

With Gwen in his arms and broken sunlight all around them, Arthur didn’t think he knew how to be happier.


End file.
